“Drawing and Narrative” Christopher Troutman – drawing

Limited hours Spring Break March 13 – 17

Artist Statement
Drawing has dominated my studio research for the past 8 years. The immediacy of drawing materials, charcoal and ink, allows me to achieve a close connection between thought and mark, because, for me, drawing is an exercise in visual memory. While drawing from imagination I recombine and exaggerate aspects of remembered subjects while avoiding external references until my ability to visualize falls short, at which point I resort to observational sketches and photographs to clarify forms. The subjects I draw are human figures in contemporary urban settings, based on my experiences and observations living primarily in the United States’ Midwest, southern Japan, and recently southeast Texas. I depict multiple figures, suggesting that they could interact, implying narrative and the passage of time, which is enhanced by dividing drawings into multiple sections. Recently, I have used multi-sectioned drawings to examine similarities and differences between my memories of the U.S. and Japan by juxtaposing visual and spatial features unique to both locations. I amplify my subjects through mark making, intensified value patterns, dynamic compositions, and unexpected points of view in order to reveal the value of daily visual experiences as a topic of exploration in drawing.
~ Christopher Troutman